Where Does Walmart Ship From In 2022? (Not What You Think) - 33rd Square (2024)

Hey there! With online shopping more popular than ever, you’re probably curious about the major retailers‘ shipping operations. Where exactly does your order come from when you purchase on Walmart.com?

I did some digging into Walmart’s massive distribution and fulfillment network. And let me tell you, it’s an impressive operation!

In this in-depth shipping guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about how Walmart gets orders from their warehouses to your doorstep:

• How many distribution centers does Walmart have and where are they located?
• What parts of the US can get Walmart shipments?
• Which delivery companies does Walmart use?
• Do marketplace sellers ship from different locations?
• How you can score free shipping.
• Delivery speeds and shipping rates explained.
• Does Walmart ship to other countries?

Let’s dive in!

How Big Is Walmart’s Distribution Network?

As the largest retailer in the world, Walmart has a vast logistics operation to stock over 10,500 stores globally.

In the US alone, Walmart has over 150 distribution centers that supply products to its 4,700+ retail locations in neighborhoods across the country.

But here’s what’s really interesting: Walmart operates 40 dedicated e-commerce distribution centers focused solely on fulfilling online orders.

These distributions hubs are strategically placed in major population centers across the US to enable fast shipping times to both urban and rural addresses.

Walmart’s 40+ dedicated e-commerce warehouses are located in:

• 10 centers in California
• 5 in Florida
• 4 in Georgia
• 3 in Illinois
• 3 in Indiana
• 2 in Kentucky
• 2 in Mississippi
• 2 in Nevada
• 2 in New Jersey
• 2 in Ohio
• 2 in Pennsylvania
• 1 in Texas

For perspective, Amazon has about 500 fulfillment and sortation centers globally. So Walmart’s network is massive in its own right.

This vast infrastructure allows Walmart to ship over 574 million packages per year to customers across the US. Walmart’s scale rivals even Amazon in terms of distribution capabilities.

So when you order from Walmart.com, your purchase is coming from a state-of-the-art facility designed to get online orders delivered quickly and affordably.

What Areas Can Receive Walmart Orders?

Thanks to its extensive distribution reach, Walmart offers shipping to all 50 US states.

As long as you have a valid delivery address, including:

• Any home, office, or PO Box address in the 50 states
• APO/FPO military addresses
• US territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa
• US Virgin Islands

…you can get items delivered from Walmart.com.

Walmart also provides in-store pickup at most of its 4,700+ store locations, letting you grab online orders conveniently without waiting for delivery.

So no matter where you’re located in the US, you can enjoy the perks of Walmart’s online selection and affordable pricing.

How Does Walmart Handle All Those Deliveries?

To handle the sheer volume of ecommerce shipments, Walmart relies on:

• Walmart Private Fleet: Over 6,500 trucks and 55,000 trailers owned by Walmart make up one of the largest private transportation fleets in the US. This proprietary fleet handles a huge chunk of Walmart’s deliveries.

• FedEx: Walmart has a special partnership with FedEx to handle shipping of general merchandise across the country. FedEx moves a massive amount of Walmart’s ecommerce orders.

• Last-Mile Delivery Partners: Walmart contracts with companies like Point Pickup, Skipcart, AxleHire, Roadie and others for home deliveries from a local store or warehouse. This “last-mile” service is especially useful for groceries.

By combining its own fleet with FedEx and last-mile couriers, Walmart can cost-effectively ship hundreds of millions of packages each year.

Walmart’s massive scale allows it to negotiate great rates with FedEx to keep shipping affordable even on small orders. Passing those savings on to you!

Where Do Walmart Marketplace Sellers Ship From?

In addition to Walmart’s own inventory, Walmart Marketplace allows third-party retailers to sell on Walmart.com.

These marketplace sellers ship orders directly from their own warehouses, not Walmart’s fulfillment centers.

Most Walmart Marketplace retailers are located in the US, but some ship from international origins.

Before purchasing a marketplace item, check the seller’s name and location details on the product page. That will show you exactly where that order is coming from.

Marketplace shipping times and rates can vary widely depending on the seller. So make sure to factor that in when browsing Walmart Marketplace products.

How Can I Get Free Walmart Shipping?

One of the great things about Walmart is they offer free shipping in several ways:

• Spend $35+: On items shipped by Walmart, orders over $35 get free standard shipping automatically. It’s easy to hit that threshold when shopping for the whole family!

• Walmart+ Membership: For $12.95/month or $98/year, a Walmart+ membership offers free unlimited delivery with no minimum order size. Plus other neat benefits like fuel discounts.

• Look for “Free Shipping” badge: Specific items will have a “Free Shipping” tag on the product page if they ship at no cost, regardless of order total. Keep an eye out for these!

• In-Store Pickup: Choose in-store pickup when available to grab your order at a local Walmart without any shipping fee.

Skipping shipping fees makes Walmart even more budget-friendly. So take advantage of these free shipping options whenever possible!

How Quickly Does Walmart Ship?

One great benefit of Walmart’s US fulfillment network is they can ship very quickly, even on inexpensive items. Here are the major shipping speeds and rates:

• Standard Shipping: 2-5 business days. $5.99 for orders under $35. Walmart’s default shipping method.

• NextDay Delivery: Under 24 hours if order is placed before 2 PM local time. $5.99 for orders under $35. Only in select areas.

• Two-Day Shipping: Order arrives within 2 business days. $5.99 for orders under $35.

• Freight: For large items like furniture. Rates vary based on item size and location. Requires scheduling delivery.

• In-Store Pickup: Same-day pickup at a nearby Walmart store. No shipping fee.

For comparison, Amazon charges $5.99 for standard 5-8 day shipping on orders under $25. So Walmart delivers faster for less!

Walmart Marketplace seller shipping speeds and costs differ. But Walmart-fulfilled orders ship very quickly across the US.

Has COVID Impacted Walmart Shipping?

The COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact on ecommerce shipping across all major retailers.

As consumers shifted to online ordering, delivery volumes skyrocketed. To keep up, Walmart rapidly expanded its ecommerce distribution network and workforce.

In 2020, Walmart opened 4 new dedicated ecommerce fulfillment centers and expanded over 30 existing centers. This added over 3.5 million square feet of additional warehouse space to meet surging demand.

Walmart also hired over 500,000 new supply chain employees in 2020 to handle the holiday order surge.

As the pandemic accelerated Walmart’s ecommerce growth, they invested heavily in next-day delivery capabilities. This resulted in faster, more reliable shipping throughout COVID-19.

So while COVID certainly created challenges, it proved Walmart’s ability to quickly scale distribution operations to keep customers happy.

Does Walmart Ship Internationally?

The one downside of Walmart’s US-based fulfillment network is they don’t currently offer international shipping.

If you want to ship Walmart.com orders to Canada, Mexico, or overseas addresses, you’re unfortunately out of luck.

Third-party package forwarders may be able to handle international delivery. But Walmart itself doesn’t provide customs paperwork or global shipping services.

For American customers, Walmart’s domestic-only focus means you get speedy delivery from local fulfillment centers. But those outside the US cannot enjoy Walmart’s bargain prices.

Hopefully Walmart will expand globally in the future! But for now, you can only ship Walmart orders within the 50 states.

The Bottom Line: Walmart Ships Fast from Local Warehouses!

So in summary:

When you order on Walmart.com, your items ship from one of 40+ dedicated ecommerce distribution centers located strategically across the US.

This gives Walmart extensive reach to provide speedy shipping at competitive rates across the entire country.

Combined with their own trucks, outsourced couriers, and FedEx partnership, Walmart has one of the most efficient fulfillment networks in ecommerce.

While COVID presented challenges, Walmart rapidly invested in more warehouse space, workers, and next-day delivery options to improve shipping times.

So you can feel confident ordering on Walmart.com knowing your purchase is coming quickly from a nearby facility designed for ecommerce. Walmart’s shipping speeds and low rates give even Amazon Prime a run for its money!

I hope this shipping guide gave you useful insight into where your next Walmart order is coming from. Happy bargain hunting!

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